SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers if the two oldest SCM world records will be going down this year:
Question: Will either of the two oldest SCM world records fall at the 2026 SC Worlds?
RESULTS
- Yes, men’s 400 free (3:32.25) – 42.8%
- No – 34.5%
- Yes, women’s 100 breast (1:02.36) – 11.7%
- Yes – both – 11.0%
The majority of the world records in short course meters have been broken since the beginning of the 2020s, with the International Swimming League, and increased participation in the World Cup and Short Course Worlds (especially among Americans) playing a big role.
Just this past month, we’ve seen 10 world record swims in SCM (and counting, with U.S. SC World Trials still having two days to go).
However, there are still two individual SCM world records that have been on the books for more than a decade.
There’s the men’s 400 free, which stands at 3:32.25 from Yannick Agnel in 2012, and the women’s 100 breast, which sits at 1:02.36, a mark hit three separate times by Ruta Meilutyte (2013) and Alia Atkinson (twice in 2014 and 2016).
In the 14 years since Agnel’s record swim, the closest anyone has gotten to his mark is Danas Rapsys, who went 3:33.20 at the 2019 European SC Championships. Since the beginning of the 2020s, the fastest man has been American Kieran Smith, who clocked 3:34.38 in 2022.
In the women’s 100 breast, China’s Tang Qianting narrowly missed breaking the world record at the 2024 SC Worlds, setting a new Asian Record of 1:02.37 in the semis before winning gold in the final in 1:02.38.
Given that, you’d think fans would be more bullish on the women’s 100 breast record falling this year compared to the men’s 400 free, but that wasn’t the case in our most recent poll.
A total of 42.8% of voters said they believe the men’s 400 free record will be broken at the SC World Championships, while an additional 11.0% said they think both marks will fall.
The men’s 400 free may have got a lot of love in the poll due to recent comments made by Sam Short, who said he believes the record will be going down this year in a recent interview with AAP News.
“I think that’s gone in a couple of months at world short course,” Short said. “I haven’t swum much short course… in some ways it keeps you hungry.”
Short recently set a personal best time of 3:35.16 in the SCM 400 free at the Australian Short Course Championships at the beginning of October, and after the incredible summer he had in long course, he certainly could challenge Agnel’s record if he’s firing on all cylinders at SC Worlds.
Short currently leads the 2026-27 world rankings, with China’s Zhang Zhanshuo (3:35.45) sitting 2nd, Belgian Lucas Henveaux (3:36.01) ranking 3rd and Americans Carson Foster (3:36.07), Luke Hobson (3:36.24) and Kieran Smith (3:37.13) rounding out the top six.
There were 11.7% of voters that said just the women’s 100 breast record will fall, and Tang will certainly be the favorite to do so, especially since she’ll be racing on home soil.
Tang recently went 1:02.85 at Chinese Nationals, while Japan’s Kotomi Kato is the only other woman who has been sub-1:04, clocking 1:03.82 at the Japan SC Championships on Oct. 10.
The fastest time from any of the World Cup stops was 1:04.03, set by Ireland’s Mona McSharry at the third and final leg, who won the Triple Crown in the event after winning in Baku (1:04.21), Tashkent (1:04.25) and Astana.
On the other side, more than a third of voters, 34.5%, don’t believe either record will go down.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks: Which conference is the strongest in women’s swimming & diving?
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A3 Performance is an independently-owned, performance swimwear company built on a passion for swimming, athletes, and athletic performance. We encourage swimmers to swim better and faster at all ages and levels, from beginners to Olympians. Driven by a genuine leader and devoted staff that are passionate about swimming and service, A3 Performance strives to inspire and enrich the sport of swimming with innovative and impactful products that motivate swimmers to be their very best – an A3 Performer.
The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner.
